Lock the doors

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Beyond the annotations, the description discloses that the tool verifies the result against the car-reported state and that confirm=false previews without sending. This is important behavioral context not visible in the schema or annotations, and it aligns with the idempotentHint=true annotation.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three short sentences carry high signal: the action/verification, the when-to-use rule, and the safety-first parameter guidance. There is no filler, repetition, or schema duplication.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given a single optional parameter, full schema coverage, and an output schema present, the description covers the necessary invocation context, safety behavior, and verification outcome. Nothing essential is missing for an agent to select and invoke this tool correctly.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The schema already fully describes the confirm parameter, so the baseline is 3. The description adds useful decision guidance on how to set confirm, saying 'Call with confirm=false first when in doubt,' and explains that 'the report says whether the car confirmed the new state,' going beyond the schema's definition.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description opens with a specific verb and resource: 'Lock the doors, then verify against the state the car reports.' This clearly distinguishes the action from sibling tools like toyota_unlock_doors and toyota_lock_trunk, while also adding the verification step that makes the tool's behavior unique.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description gives an explicit usage condition: 'Only when the user explicitly asked to lock the car.' It also provides a concrete safety procedure for uncertain cases: 'Call with confirm=false first when in doubt,' which tells the agent exactly how to use the tool safely.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.